3 More Days
by thatcoyotegirlwolf
Summary: After Jasmine insulted Achmed, his younger brother Amyn agreed to try. Jasmine gave the boy a chance, knowing that she was running out of time. Rated T for violence in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

{DAY 1}

20 year old Achmed stormed into his father's room. His father, the King, looked surprised at his son's fury. "I've never been so insulted!" Achmed shouted, turning and allowing his father to see the sizable hole in the seat of his pants.  
The King sighed. "I had hoped to stay long enough to at least propose trading between our lands, but I suppose that's out of the question now."  
Suddenly a thought entered Achmed's mind. If Jasmine was so against him, she would be doubly against a second suitor in one day. Perhaps that second would be even more humiliated than himself! "Why not send Amyn, Father?" he asked, an evil glint in his eye.  
The King was surprised. "Yes," he mumbled. "Perhaps he could try."  
Achmed grinned. He couldn't wait to see his younger brother humiliated... again.

* * *

Amyn was in his room when his father found him. The 17 year old boy was on the balcony, staring at the city below.  
"Amyn."  
He looked up in surprise. "Father! I didn't hear you come in."  
"Son," the King said, getting right to the point as always, "Achmed has failed in wooing the princess."  
Amyn raised his eyebrows in surprise. Achmed was self centered, sure, but he thought that would go well with the only daughter of a sultan.  
"Also," the King continued, "you know that I was hoping to discuss trade arrangements with the sultan." Amyn nodded. "So I want you to try for the princess's hand."  
Amyn swallowed hard. It was too soon, he felt. But knowing how his father was, he bowed his head respectfully. "Very well," he mumbled.

* * *

"Jasmine," the Sultan began, "The King has another son..."  
"I do not want to meet him," Jasmine snapped.  
The Sultan sighed. He was getting very impatient. "Jasmine, the law is the law!" he said, more harshly than intended. "And you will respect our guests by at least giving this other boy a chance."  
Jasmine huffed, but saw no way out. "Fine," she said sulkily. "But I won't like him."

* * *

Amyn stood nervously in the throne room, shaking slightly, and trying to control his breathing. He knew the chances of impressing this girl was slim to none, especially since all the other suitors had failed. But her father was desperate, and so was his.  
Jasmine followed her father into the room, intending on speaking harshly to the boy, but stopped in her tracks. As ugly and proud as Achmed was, his younger brother was completely opposite. He wore a red suit and turban, like Achmed, but without the gold accents. His black hair fell neatly to his shoulders. His moustache looked like it was just coming in, and was very light. His eyes, a light brown, looked into hers nervously.  
The Sultan took Jasmine's hand, and led her over to Amyn. "Prince Amyn, this is my daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine, this is Prince Amyn, the younger son of king Abdalrahman."  
The Sultan placed Jasmine's hand in Amyn's, but she jerked it away quickly before he could react. So he simply bowed in her direction. "Pleasure to meet you, Princess," he said politely.  
"Jasmine, perhaps you could show Amyn the gardens," the Sultan pressed, obviously meaning it more of an order than a request.  
Jasmine sighed, annoyed. "This way," she huffed. Amyn winced slightly at her tone, but followed her.  
The Sultan sighed worriedly as they left.

* * *

As they were walking down the hallway, Jasmine suddenly whirled, causing Amyn to stop quickly to prevent himself from running into her.  
"Look," she snapped impatiently. "This was my father's idea, not mine. I have no intention of marrying you, and I didn't want to meet you."  
Inwardly, Amyn sighed with relief. "Ok," he said calmly with a shrug of his shoulders. "To be honest, I didn't want to meet you either. Not like this."  
Jasmine folded her arms in a huff. "And just how did you imagine meeting me?" she asked sharply.  
"Anything but potential bride. I'm not ready to marry!"  
Jasmine softened a little at his words. "At least we can agree on something," she said, a little calmer now. "Come on, the gardens are this way." Amyn followed her down several hallways and into the sunlight.  
Amyn stopped in surprise. "It's beautiful," he breathed.  
Jasmine allowed herself a faint smile. He wasn't like all the other princes, who were trying so hard to charm her that they paid attention to nothing else. Amyn seemed to see her as just another person, and seeing him look so hard at the gardens, instead of her, was a nice change.  
Rajah, her tiger, walked up beside her and growled lightly at Amyn. Hearing the noise, Amyn turned and jumped a little. "Are you gonna sic him on me?" he asked nervously.  
Jasmine smiled. "No. But I did sic him on your brother."  
Amyn looked at her in shock. "You're kidding." She smiled wider, shaking her head. Amyn laughed outright. "Serves him right! He always thinks he's above everybody. I guess you proved him wrong!"  
He was laughing so hard that Jasmine had to grin. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Amyn was actually a very likable guy. That didn't mean she wanted to marry him, though.  
Seeing her frown, Amyn stopped laughing. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked worriedly.  
Jasmine jumped at the unexpected question, but had to ask, "If you don't want to marry me, why bother meeting me?"  
Amyn rolled his eyes. "My dad," he admitted. "He's not the kind of guy you can say no to."  
"How well I know," Jasmine sighed.  
"Dad's, huh?" Amyn smiled lightly, but his heart wasn't in it. "Don't worry. They'll set up some sort of trading arrangement, and then I'll be out of your hair."  
"You know," Jasmine stated, "you don't act like any of the other princes I've met."  
"Thanks, I think?" Amyn smiled uncertainly. "I just believe in being yourself, I guess. There's no reason to act like you're higher than everybody else just because you have a higher title or more money." He sighed, sitting heavily by the fountain. Jasmine joined him. "So what do you do for fun?"  
"Fun?" Jasmine asked, surprised. "I play with Rajah." She answered, scratching her tiger's ear, causing him to purr in delight.  
"I can see you two are close," Amyn commented wistfully.  
"Do you have a pet?" she asked.  
"Nah," he answered with a wave of his hand. "Father wouldn't allow it. Believe me, I tried."  
"I'm sorry, Jasmine said. "You must get rather lonely."  
"Yeah," he said with a smirk. "But I still found ways of making a few friends."  
"Who? The servants?"  
Amyn looked around. Seeing no one, he whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"  
Jasmine's eyes widened, and she nodded excitedly. No one had ever trusted her with a secret before.  
"I sneak out. Run away for the day, and hang out with the common folk."  
Jasmine gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in shock.  
Amyn grinned at her reaction. "I know. Horrible, right?"  
"How do you do it? How do you get past the guards?"  
Amyn raised his eyebrows in surprise. Looking around again, he motioned her closer. When she leaned close to him, he whispered, "As a prince, I get a chance at a horse or carriage ride for the fresh air. If you pull the curtains of the carriage, no one knows you're not in it."  
"You jump out of a moving carriage?" Jasmine whispered in shock.  
"No," Amyn assured her, still whispering himself. "First you get a trusted driver. One who will stop, keep going alone, and pick you up at a certain time and place."  
"Do you have that?"  
Amyn grinned wider. "He did come with me," he admitted, "as my man-in-waiting."  
Jasmine bit her lip, fully intrigued. "Will you show me?" she nearly begged.  
Amyn jumped in surprise. "You want to go into town?"  
"Please! I've always wanted to go, but was never allowed to."  
Amyn nodded in understanding. "Ok. But you're going to need a disguise. If everyone knows you're the princess, you'll either be treated as a goddess or a target."  
"I do have something hidden away," Jasmine admitted with a smile.  
Amyn smiled back. "Now the only trouble is getting our fathers to agree to let us go on a carriage ride."  
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "It shouldn't be too hard, considering how bad they want us together."  
"Let's hope so."

* * *

"Absolutely not!" the Sultan fumed. "My daughter is not to leave the palace walls!"  
"But the change of scenery would be good for her," Amyn argued. "We won't leave the carriage, and I'll be by her side the entire time. No harm will come to her, I swear!"  
"Son, you don't know these streets," the king spoke up. "They could be more dangerous than our own." He glared at his son knowingly, but Amyn ignored him.  
"You say that you want us to get to know each other," he pressed, "but you deny us the only request we make!"  
The Sultan sighed. Turning to his daughter, he asked gently, "Is this what you want?"  
"Yes!" she answered quickly to hide her annoyance.  
The Sultan smiled sadly. "Then I suppose you may go."  
Jasmine beamed. "Thank you, Father!"  
"But," the Sultan added quickly, "there are a few conditions."  
"What are those, Your Highness?" Amyn asked.  
"First, you will go tomorrow. It's too dark now, and much too dangerous."  
Amyn nodded. "Agreed. Anything else?"  
"You will be gone no more than one hour."  
Amyn winced. "Three hours," he argued.  
The Sultan scowled. "Two."  
"Done," Amyn agreed.  
"And also," the Sultan added, "you will be escorted by a guard."  
"I carry a dagger, and so does my driver," Amyn pressed cautiously. There will be no need for guards, they will just attract unwanted attention."  
The Sultan turned to his daughter pleadingly. "At least take one of your maids with you?" he pressed.  
"Father!" she whined. She glanced at Amyn, who was thoughtful. He gave her a slight nod, and she gave in. "Very well," she sighed sulkily.  
The Sultan smiled, satisfied, and patted her cheek lovingly. Jasmine smiled as well and looked at Amyn, who grinned as well. The next day would be amazing, she was sure of it!


	2. Chapter 2

{DAY 2}

Jasmine woke up early the next morning. She couldn't wait to leave the palace for the first time! When she went to breakfast, however, Amyn wasn't there.  
"Good morning, Jasmine," her father greeted.  
"Good morning, Father," she replied, reluctantly sitting beside him. She ate as quickly as was polite. Prince Achmed was sitting across from her, grinning evilly. She couldn't wait to get away from him. "Where's Prince Amyn?" she asked.  
Achmed scowled, and looked away from her.  
"I believe he's in his room," the king told her.  
"Please excuse me then," she said, standing. "We have plans today." And Jasmine rushed from the room.  
The Sultan smiled. "They seem to be getting along very well," he noted happily.  
The king knew why the princess was so eager to find his younger son, but said nothing. The trade plans were too important to spoil now.

* * *

Jasmine hurried to Amyn's room, then hesitated. What if he changed his mind? Timidly, she knocked. She heard a rustling, then, "Come in." Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.  
Amyn was standing by his bed, his black hair falling down over the right side of his face. He sighed in relief when he saw her.  
"Good morning, Princess. Are you ready for your carriage ride?"  
Jasmine grinned. "Yes! But," she added curiously, "why weren't you at breakfast?"  
"I wasn't hungry," he lied. "Besides, I miss breakfast all the time. So have you decided which one of your servants are coming with us? It has to be someone trustworthy."  
"Yes," Jasmine answered. "She helped raise me since I was a baby. I'm sure she'll keep a secret."  
"Great! Then you can grab her, and your disguise, and we'll be off!"

* * *

The maid was shocked when she heard their plans, but at Jasmine's request, agreed to keep it a secret. "Unless the princess is harmed," she added firmly.  
"Fair enough," Amyn agreed.  
The maid helped Jasmine into the robe and head wrap that she had brought with her. Amyn pulled his own disguise out, then paused.  
"Would you mind looking away?" he asked awkwardly. "I kind of have to change into mine."  
Jasmine's eyes widened, and she turned her head away at once. The maid did as well, but couldn't help peeking at the young man as he pulled his red pants off, replacing them with dirty white ones instead. Then he pulled off his tunic, and the maid gasped.  
"What is it?" Jasmine asked, turning in surprise.  
Amyn hurriedly pulled a brown shirt over his head, and looked at the maid pleadingly.  
"Nothing, my lady," the maid blushed.  
Jasmine shrugged then turned to Amyn, who was placing his prince outfit on the seat. "Ready?" he asked, grabbing a brown bag. Grinning, Jasmine nodded her head. Amyn knocked on the roof of the carriage. A moment later, it rolled to a stop. Amyn jumped out, with Jasmine on his heels, and the driver started the carriage back again.  
Jasmine looked around her. They were on the outskirts of town. Amyn offered Jasmine his hand. She took it, and he led her into the market.  
The young prince grinned as he watched Jasmine take everything in. The merchants were at their stalls, each calling out their wares. When they reached the apple stall, Jasmine saw a young boy staring longingly at the juicy, red fruit.  
Feeling bad, she said, "You must be hungry. Here you go." And she handed the boy an apple from the cart.  
"You'd better be able to pay for that," the stall owner growled at her as the boy ran off happily.  
"Pay?" she repeated quietly, confused.  
"Of course we are!" Amyn spoke up. "In fact, I should like two more, if you please."  
The stall owner looked surprised, but eagerly grabbed the coins from Amyn's hand and gave them two more apples. Amyn quickly led Jasmine away from the man, who was greedily counting the money.  
"One thing you should remember," Amyn told her quietly, "is that nothing here is free. If you want something, you have to pay for it."  
Jasmine blushed. Of course you had to pay! How could she be so stupid?  
But Amyn quickly put her mind at ease again. Leading her further down the street, they stopped to watch a man breathe fire. Jasmine was shocked, but excited. When the man asked for donations, Amyn snuck her several coins to give the man.  
Moving on, they heard a man call out, "Would the lady like a necklace? A pretty necklace for a pretty lady!"  
Jasmine blushed, but Amyn looked at her and grinned. "Want one?"  
Jasmine nodded, and stepped up closer to look at the selection. There was jewelry of all kinds. Many were obviously cheap, but pretty nonetheless. She chose a bracelet of multicolored beads, and a ring with a small blue stone. Amyn paid the man while Jasmine put on her new jewelry, and they moved on.  
They passed melons, fish, bread, dates and nuts. Amyn stopped at every one, purchasing something from each stall, and placing it in the bag hanging from his shoulder. By the time they reached the last stall in the market, it was nearly noon. Jasmine was about to head back grudgingly, but Amyn stopped her. Pulling some bread and apples from his bag, he walked toward two children who were digging through a trash bin.  
"Here," he said, surprising them. The girl, slightly older, cautiously took the food, handing some to the young boy who seemed to be her brother. They began to eat immediately, smiles on their faces. Amyn smiled as well, then walked back to Jasmine.  
"Time to go," he said simply. She nodded, and followed him silently back down the streets. She noticed that whenever he saw someone begging, he would give them a few coins and some food from his bag. She watched him silently, touched by his kindness to people that he had never met.  
When they reached the edge of the market, Amyn suddenly turned and called out, "I know you're there."  
Jasmine looked at him confused, and her eyes widened when a young man came out of the shadows sheepishly, a monkey on his shoulder.  
"Why are you following us?" Amyn demanded.  
The monkey rolled his eyes and screeched, pointing at Jasmine. "Abu!" the man cried, embarrassed.  
"Sorry, man. We're together," Amyn said firmly, grabbing Jasmine's hand and holding it tightly. Jasmine was too surprised to object.  
"That's not... I didn't mean..." the man stuttered, trying to think of something to say.  
Amyn smiled, and held up a hand to stop him from embarrassing himself further. "It's all right. What's your name?"  
"Aladdin," the man answered, trying his best not to blush and failing miserably.  
"Are you hungry?" Amyn asked him.  
Aladdin jumped at the sudden question. He shook his head politely, but Abu nodded, screeching so loudly that Jasmine laughed at the monkey. Aladdin hung his head. "A little," he murmured.  
Amyn reached into his bag and pulled out everything left: a few dates (which Abu grabbed greedily), a large melon, and a loaf of bread. Aladdin accepted the food gratefully. "Thank you!"  
"No problem," Amyn answered. "Now if you'll stop following us, we need to be on our way. Aladdin nodded, heading back into town with Abu to enjoy their feast.  
Amyn led Jasmine down the last street, and into an alley where the carriage was waiting. As they climbed in, she asked, "How did you know he was following us?"  
"I saw his shadow," Amyn replied, knocking on the roof. The carriage pulled off. Jasmine removed her robe, and then looked away to allow Amyn to change, all the while happily telling her maid everything that had happened. She looked back at Amyn as he was replacing his turban, carefully making sure that his hair covered his right ear. Jasmine suddenly realized that he had been doing that all day, making sure his hair was always covering his right cheek. She thought about asking him about it, but decided to wait, instead telling the maid more about the marketplace.

* * *

Arriving at the palace, they found that that the sultan was a nervous wreck, with the King attempting to calm him. As soon as he saw them step from the carriage, the Sultan ran over and hugged his daughter tightly.  
"Jasmine, I was so worried! It was well over two hours, I was about to send the guards!"  
"I'm sorry, Father," Jasmine apologized, beaming. "We were having so much fun we lost track of time! It won't happen again."  
"I humbly apologize for worrying you, Your Highness," Amen added.  
The Sultan smiled at their words, then frowned at the jewelry on his daughter's hand. "Where did you get these?" he asked, and the teens jumped guiltily. They had both forgotten about that.  
"I gave them to her," Amyn said quickly. The Sultan smiled wider. Amyn smiled back weakly, realizing that the Sultan was reading more into the situation then there was.  
"Well, I'm sure the two of you are starving by now," the Sultan said happily. "I know I am. Come, the servants have laid out a wonderful lunch for us!" The Sultan continued babbling on, leading them inside the palace. Out of the corner of his eye, Amyn saw his father glaring at him. The prince swallowed nervously, and hurried behind the clueless Sultan.

* * *

Jasmine and Amyn spent the rest of the day in the gardens, laughing and talking together. Toward evening, Jasmine asked if Amyn had ever been in love before.  
Amyn was silent a minute, then answered, "I'd rather not talk about it."  
Jasmine was surprised. "But why?"  
"It's... it's too painful," he said at last.  
Jasmine wanted to press the issue, but she didn't want to hurt him. So grudgingly she answered, "Ok."  
When they were called to dinner, Jasmine noticed that Amyn was unusually quiet. They had been seated beside each other. Achmed was glaring in their direction, and Amyn was clearly uncomfortable. He ate as quick as he could, and excused himself for the night. Jasmine was worried about his sudden strange behavior, and was determined to ask him about it in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

}Day 3{

The next morning, Amyn was again noticeably absent from breakfast. When it was over, the Sultan called over one of the maids. "Would you mind going and getting Prince Amyn?" he asked.  
"Yes, Your Highness," she replied, and headed straight to his room.  
Amyn was sitting on his bed. He looked up as the maid knocked and poked her head inside.  
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but the Sultan requires your presence."  
"Of course," Amyn replied. Stretching his sore muscles, he followed the maid.

* * *

Everyone was chatting aimlessly when Amyn entered the dining room.  
"Ah, Amyn," the Sultan said happily when he saw the prince.  
"You wanted to see me?" Amyn asked.  
"Yes, I did. Sit down." Amyn obeyed, sitting beside Jasmine. Then the Sultan turned to his daughter. "Jasmine, today is your final day. You must make a choice. You and Amyn have been getting along well these past two days."  
"But that doesn't mean I want to marry him," Jasmine objected.  
"Jasmine, the law is the law," the Sultan insisted. "And if you do not choose Prince Amyn, then you will marry Jafar."  
"Are you kidding?" Amyn spoke up. "He's at least twenty years older than her!"  
"I'm afraid that can't be helped. If the princess refuses to marry a prince before the time allotted, then she must marry the royal vizier. And that is Jafar. It's the law. And Jasmine," the Sultan continued, turning back to his daughter, "Achmed has agreed to put aside your differences, and re-offer his hand." Jasmine cringed and glanced at Achmed, who was smirking. "So who do you choose? Amyn, Achmed or Jafar?"  
Jasmine was trying not to cry. "I choose Prince Amyn," she stated.  
Achmed sulked, but the Sultan beamed with joy. "Then you must begin your preparations at once! The wedding will be tomorrow!"  
"Tomorrow?!" Amyn exclaimed. "Can't we at least have an engagement period first?"  
"The law is the law," the Sultan repeated, a little impatiently. "She must be married to a prince by her next birthday, which is tomorrow. And as you have agreed to pursue her hand, and she has chosen to accept you, then the wedding will take place as planned. You will be the next sultan of Agrabah!"  
"But she's too young!" Amyn objected quietly. "We both are."  
"Nonsense," the King spoke up. "You are the perfect age. Unless you intend on backing out of your agreement?" He looked hard at his son, almost daring him to object again.  
Amyn looked down submissively. "No. I will marry Princess Jasmine."  
"Then we shall begin preparations at once," the Sultan declared joyfully. "Oh, what a happy day it shall be!"  
Jasmine and Amyn looked at each other hopelessly. There was no way out now.  
Soon, Jasmine and Amyn were left alone at the table. Jasmine had her head in her hands. Amyn's hands were clasped in front of him.  
"I guess this is it," Amyn said quietly.  
"It's not fair!" Jasmine burst out, banging her fists on the table. "It's a stupid law!"  
"I know, but what choice do we have?" Amyn said. "If I don't marry you, Jafar will. Or worse, my brother."  
She sighed in disgust. "I loathe them."  
"I don't much care for them either," Amyn admitted. "But Achmed won't be here much longer, and Jafar is a necessary part of the court."  
"But couldn't he be replaced when you become sultan?" Jasmine pressed.  
"By who?" Amyn asked.  
"I don't know. But surely there is someone else that can do his job."  
"Do you even know what his job is?" Amyn challenged her.  
"Advisor to the Sultan, I think."  
Amyn was silent for a minute. "Advisor. Someone to help better the kingdom." Amyn looked at her. "I bet we could find someone, perhaps someone straight from the market, who know what the people actually need."  
"What about Aladdin?" Jasmine asked.  
Amyn shrugged. "It would depend. He would need to know how to read, write and count."  
"Why count?" Jasmine asked.  
"You can't give financial advice if you can't count the finances," he explained.  
Jasmine sighed. "This is going to be a lot harder than I thought."  
"No kidding," Amyn said, frustrated. "But I'm sure we'll be taught everything we need to know before we're supposed to take charge." Jasmine nodded. "For now," he continued sarcastically, "we have a happy day to plan for." She rolled her eyes, and he sighed. "Let's just get it over with. Go get fitted for your dress, I'll get fitted for a suit, and I'll see you later."  
Jasmine tried to smile, but her heart wasn't in it. She felt betrayed by everyone, even Amyn, and wanted to run to her room and cry. "Ok," she gasped. "I'll see you later."  
Without waiting for an answer, she jumped up and ran to her room as fast as she could. Amyn sighed and put his head in his hands. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Right after the palace seamstress made the measurements for Amyn's suit, the King walked into the room. Nodding to the girl politely, he remained silent until she left, and the door closed behind her. Amyn watched his father nervously, anticipating the outburst that was sure to come.  
"What were you thinking?!" the King asked angrily as soon as he was sure the girl was gone. "Arguing with the Sultan, nearly backing out of our agreement? Are you crazy?"  
"I'm sorry," Amyn answered, a little angry himself. "But you knew from the beginning that I wasn't ready to move on. You're the one who wants this marriage, not me, not her!"  
The King grabbed his son's shoulder roughly, causing Amyn to wince in pain. "We need this arrangement, and you're doing your best to ruin it!"  
"We're fine without it," Amyn gasped out.  
Furious, the King slammed Amyn against the wall. The prince gasped in pain. "You WILL marry the princess, and you WILL NOT give another word of objection. Are we clear?"  
Amyn looked at his father fearfully. "Yes, sir."  
"Good." The King let him go, and began walking toward the door, stopping with his hand on the handle. "I don't need to remind you what will happen if you cross me again?"  
"No, sir."  
The King smiled in success, and left his son terrified.


	4. Chapter 4

Jasmine had gotten a good cry, alowed herself to be fitted for a beautiful wedding gown, and had basically spent the day avoiding Amyn. He seemed to be avoiding her as well, as he didn't show up for lunch. But when he was absent from dinner, she grew worried, and went to his room to check on him.  
Before she could approach the door, however, she saw Prince Achmed enter the room, shutting the door behind him. Suspicious, she snuck toward the door to listen, wondering what buisness the spoiled prince had with her fiancée.

* * *

For Amyn, the day had gone from bad to worse. He had spent the day avoiding his brother, and bending over backwards trying to please his father and the Sultan without a word of complaint. Amyn was exhausted, and very grateful for the bath that a servant had drawn for him. Dismissing the servant, Amyn undressed and sank into the warm water with a sigh of relief. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, finally allowing himself to relax.  
"So, how does it feel to finally be someone important?"  
Amyn jumped when he heard Achmed's voice, having not heard the door open.  
"Feels good, huh?" Achmed continued, "to finally have Father's eye."  
"Father doesn't care about me," Amyn spat. "I'm just a means to an end to him."  
Achmed grinned. "You're right." Then he scowled. "But it was supposed to be me!"  
Lunging forward, Achmed grabbed Amyn's neck. Amyn began to choke, struggling to breathe.  
"I was supposed to marry the princess!" Achmed spat in his brother's face. "But you waltzed in and charmed your way into her heart instead."  
Amyn was fighting to escape from his older brother's grip. Achmed grinned wickedly, and forced Amyn's head under the water. Amyn struggled weakly, and finally rose to gasp for air when Achmed released him.  
"You made a fool of me," Achmed hissed in his brother's ear. "And I do not take that lightly."  
Amyn looked up just in time to see his brother's whip coming toward him. He cried out in pain, touching his cheek to where a new mark was now forming. Achmed raised the whip a second time, and Amyn threw his arms up, causing the whip to hit his arms time and time again. He cried out in pain at each lash.  
"Please, brother, stop!" Amyn begged.  
Jasmine, listening on the other side of the door, was suddenly afraid for her friend. Knocking loudly, she called out, "Amyn, are you ok?"  
Amyn's eyes went wide in horror when he heard the princess's voice. Achmed froze, not daring to move. Swallowing nervously, Amyn called, "I'm fine."  
"I heard shouting."  
Achmed glared viciously. Amyn cringed and stammered out, "Everything's fine."  
"Can I come in?"  
"NO!" Amyn nearly yelled. "Please don't, I'm... bathing. Give me an hour, ok?"  
"All right," Jasmine answered, and both brothers sighed in relief. Neither dared to move, but simply stared at each other.  
Finally, it was as though Achmed sprang back to life. Lunging forward, he grabbed Amyn throat again.  
"Are you trying to get me caught, brother?" Without waiting for an answer, Achmed forced Amyn's head forward until it was under the water again, and began beating the younger boy's back with the whip. Amyn thrashed in the tub, trying desperately to escape, but his strength was fading fast. Soon, he stopped struggling. Achmed released his brother, pulling him above the water at last.  
Amyn began spitting up water. His lungs were hurting so bad, he didn't even feel the places his brother had struck him. Achmed smiled in triumph. Giving Amyn a final smack, the older prince finally left his brother alone.

* * *

Hearing footsteps approach the door, Jasmine hid behind a nearby tapestry. Achmed left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.  
Jasmine waited until she was sure Achmed was gone, then knocked softly. "Amyn?" Without waiting for an answer, she entered the room, and gasped at the sight before her.  
Amyn was on his knees in the tub, gasping for air. Water was all over the floor as a result of the struggle. But what shocked her the most were the welts on his back and arms which showed up red against his dark skin.  
"Amyn, what happened?!" she cried out in horror.  
"Jasmine!" Amyn stammered, visibly frightened. "You shouldn't have come in here!"  
"And where should I be?" Jasmine gently scolded him. "In my room sipping tea? Amyn, you're hurt!"  
"It's not that bad," Amyn grunted, the pain beginning to set in. "Could you hand me a towel?"  
Jasmine jumped guiltily. Suddenly aware that he was nude, she snatched up the first cloth she saw. It was a robe. When she realized she blushed deeper in embarrassment.  
"I'm sorry," she began, but Amyn shrugged.  
"It's ok," he assured her, grabbing the robe. "This will work just as well, maybe better." He quickly wrapped it around himself, and stepped out of the tub.  
"Amyn, who did this?" Jasmine asked, although she was sure she knew the answer.  
"Who do you think?" Amyn spat. "My brother has hated me since he day I was born. This isn't the worst he's ever done."  
"You should tell your father..." Jasmine began, but he cut her off.  
"He doesn't care. He's done worse to me than Achmed has. He's put me in the stocks, he's thrown me in the prison, he's beaten me until I couldn't stand. What Achmed just did is nothing. My father doesn't care about me, he just cares about the money he'll get from me marrying you!"  
"I'm sorry," she apologized softly.  
Amyn shrugged. "It's not your fault. He's always been this way. You're lucky, you know?" he said suddenly, looking into her eyes sadly. "To have a father who loves you. The only reason I'm still alive is because of what I am. It's forbidden to behead a prince."  
"Once we're married, they can't touch you again," Jasmine tried to assure him. "You will be the future sultan! And you'll have the best care that Agrabah can provide."  
Amyn eyes went wide. "No one needs to know!" he gasped.  
"Father does," she pressed gently.  
"No!" Amyn begged. "He'll think I'm weak! A prince who can be pushed around is not fit to rule. You'll be forced to marry Jafar, or worse, Achmed, and I'll be put in the stocks for life! No, we have to keep this a secret."  
"Who told you you're unfit to rule?" Jasmine asked, surprised.  
Amyn looked down. "I've been told that my whole life," he admitted.  
"Well, it's not true! I saw the way you treated my people, with the same kindness and respect that you've shown me. If anyone is fit to rule Agrabah, it's you!"  
He looked at her in shock. "You mean that?"  
She smiled. "Of course I do!"  
Amyn smiled back at her. Perhaps everything would be all right after all.  
"And my father won't think you're weak for this," she continued cautiously. "If anything, he will think you're stronger for it."  
"And if you're wrong?" Amyn asked uneasily.  
"You're still a prince," Jasmine reminded him. "And I will beg him to let me marry you."  
"I don't know about this." Amyn shuddered.  
Jasmine smiled kindly, and took his hand. "Trust me. Even he cannot deny the law."  
He sighed, then answered, "ok."


	5. Chapter 5

Jasmine knocked on the Sultan's bedroom door. Amyn held her hand tightly for support.  
"Father?" Jasmine called softly.  
"Come in," the Sultan called.  
Taking a deep breath, Amyn allowed himself to be led inside.  
"Father," Jasmine said as soon as the door was closed behind them, "Amyn and I would like to speak to you."  
"What is it dearest?" the Sultan asked with a smile, then gasped when he saw the welt on Amyn's cheek. "Good heavens, boy, what happened to your face?"  
"That's what we want to talk to you about," Jasmine spoke up. It appears that King Abdalrahman and prince Achmed have been keeping secrets. They have been abusing prince Amyn since the day he was born!"  
The Sultan looked at the couple in shock. "But... the King spoke so highly of you," he stammered, looking at Amyn in confusion.  
Amyn shook his head. "He doesn't care about me. He doesn't even care about your daughter. All he cares about is the money he can gain. I was simply his last resort."  
"These are very serious charges," the Sultan told him.  
"You think I would make this up?!"  
"Father," Jasmine broke in, "there is something you need to see."  
Amyn understood, but he wished he didn't. Wincing, more from embarrassment than pain, he removed his tunic, revealing the fresh wounds on his arms and back, as well as the deep bruises on his neck and shoulders.

"Good heavens! Who did this to you?!"  
"My brother," Amyn said quietly. "But the bruises on my shoulder are from my father."  
"And both were done inside these palace walls?" Amyn nodded. "Why didn't you report it?" the Sultan asked, and Amyn hung his head.  
"Who could I report it to?" My father is the king, he can do what he wants. The only one greater than him is you, and that's only because we are in your kingdom."  
The Sultan nodded. "You were right to tell me about this."  
"What are you going to do?" Amyn asked worriedly, feeling the fear rise up inside him again.  
"I'm going to confront him," the Sultan told him.  
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Amyn objected fearfully.  
The Sultan lifted his chin determinedly. "Like you said, he is in my kingdom. He has no power here."

* * *

"I must admit, it is rather strange to be summoned at this time of night. I hope nothing is wrong," the king said smoothly, as he and prince Achmed walked into the throne room. The Sultan was on his throne, and Amyn and Jasmine stood beside him respectfully.  
"There is something wrong," the Sultan said seriously. "This young man claims you've been abusing him for years!" Achmed glared at Amyn, who was staring at the floor.  
The king sneered. "What I do with my own child is my own business."  
"You are right," the Sultan agreed. "But when it comes to within my walls, there are certain actions that are NOT done!"  
The king scowled. "What lies have you been telling, boy?" he demanded of his younger son.  
"Only the truth, Father," Amyn answered him shakily, looking up at last. "For years, you have beaten and humiliated. me. Well today you both went too far."  
The King stood taller. "I did nothing."  
"You call this nothing?" Amyn cried, pulling down the neck of his tunic to reveal the deep bruising on his shoulder.  
"You have no proof that it was me!" the king yelled.  
"Excuse me, Your Highness," came a voice, and a young maid, the one who had been taking Amyn's suit measurements earlier that day, walked hesitantly into the throne room. "But there is proof. I saw it."  
"You weren't even there!" the King snapped.  
"I beg your pardon, my lord, but I was. I had forgotten my shears. When I went to retrieve them, I saw what you were doing."  
"And what was he doing?" the Sultan asked.  
"He had the prince pinned against the wall. He grabbed his shoulders very harshly, causing the prince pain."  
The Sultan nodded. "Thank you, my dear, for telling me."  
"Lies!" the King spat.  
"Truth, every word!" Amyn answered angrily.  
"And that mark on your face, boy, I know full well I didn't do that!"  
Amyn unconsciously touched the fresh wound. "It's true. You didn't," Amyn answered. "Achmed did."  
"You dare insult me?! I would NEVER strike my brother!" Achmed insisted.  
"Then why bother carrying the whip?" Amyn challenged him.  
Achmed shrugged uncomfortably. "For peasants who get in my way."  
"Just for peasants, brother? Care to explain this?" Amyn cried out, pulling off his tunic and showing off the fresh wounds. Both Achmed and the King stiffened.  
"Or how there was such a commotion in his room tonight, when you were the only two people in there?" Jasmine spoke up angrily.  
Achmed cleared his throat. "Circumstance."  
"You tried to drown me!"  
Achmed smirked. "You were in no real danger of dying."  
"Enough!" the Sultan yelled. "I've heard enough! There will be no trade agreement. I want you and your oldest son to leave my kingdom at once!"  
The king gasped. "You wish to keep that scum? You want truth, I'll give you truth. He took your daughter to the market, unprotected!"  
The sultan paled, turning to the young prince. "Amyn?"  
Amyn looked at the floor. "It is true. We did go to the market. But I never left her side. We wore disguises. No one knew it was her. And it did her good to get out of the palace."  
Jasmine put her hand on the Sultan's arm gently. "Father, I had one of the best days of my life! Please don't hold that against him. He kept me safe."  
"Just as he kept his first wife safe?" Achmed spoke up.  
"What?" The Sultan looked at Amyn, shocked. "You're married?"  
Amyn took a deep breath, and began: "Last year, I fell in love with a peasant girl. I knew my father wouldn't approve, so we eloped. We managed to keep our marriage a secret. When she became pregnant..."  
"You have a child too?!" the Sultan interrupted.  
"One that was never born. She was accused of prostitution. When I found that she had been arrested, I admitted before everyone that she was my wife, and that the child was mine. My father would not have a peasant for a daughter-in-law, and had her beheaded before she could give birth. I was placed in the stocks and forced to watch. It was the worst day of my life."  
"He's not as innocent in all of this as he claims." Achmed insisted.  
"Neither are you!" Jasmine snapped. "And as all of this happened before I met him, I do still wish to marry prince Amyn."  
"And marry him you shall!" the Sultan assured her quickly, then turned to the two men. "The two of you are not invited, nor are you to set foot in my kingdom again!"  
The king reddened furiously. "This is an act of war!"  
"Then perhaps we can settle things peacefully, Father," Amyn spoke up. "I myself am not against trade arrangements. It could be beneficial to both of our lands. But there will be a few conditions."  
The king glared at his younger son. "I'm listening."  
"I agree with the Sultan. I do not want either of you to set foot on this land again. However, that does not mean that you cannot send traders from your land to ours, and vice versa. In the end, you will still be getting the gold." Amyn looked at his father nervously.  
The king thought for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose I can agree to that."  
Amyn breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to the Sultan. "What say you, Your Highness? The final word is yours."  
The Sultan nodded. "I look forward to doing business with your traders. And as for you, welcome to the family, son."

* * *

{DAY 4}

When the wedding was over, Amyn and Jasmine were sent to a larger room to consomate the marriage. Both Amyn and Jasmine agreed secretly, however, that while they would share a room, since they were married, they would wait and have the honeymoon when they were ready, however long it took.

* * *

{DAYS GONE BY...}  
Within the month, Jasmine's father became sick, and Amyn was named Sultan. He was fair in his judgements, and the people loved him. Jasmine also grew to love him more and more.  
After they had been rulers of Agrabah for several weeks, they finally agreed: tonight.


End file.
